Notorious hacker Walter Delgatti has been handed a 20-year prison sentence for his involvement in the 2019 Operation Spoofing case, according to a report from Agência Brasil. The verdict, issued by Judge Ricardo Leite of the 10th Federal Court in Brasilia, comes after Delgatti’s arrest in 2019 for hacking into Telegram accounts of authorities, including members of the Lava Jato task force.
The judge rejected Delgatti’s claims of hacking to “fight injustices,” asserting that his intentions seemed to revolve around monetary gain. Delgatti’s sentencing was part of a larger ruling that also saw six other defendants sentenced for their roles in the intrusions, which included illegally accessing messages of figures like former Justice Minister Sergio Moro and Economy Minister Paulo Guedes.
The court’s decision is a response to Delgatti’s actions during the Operation Spoofing case, in which he targeted Telegram accounts of high-profile individuals, including members of the Lava Jato task force. Judge Ricardo Leite emphasized that Delgatti’s intentions appeared to be driven by a desire to profit from selling the hacked conversations to the press.
The judge dismissed the defense’s claims that Delgatti’s actions were motivated by a desire to “fight injustices” committed during the operation. Instead, the judge’s ruling suggested that Delgatti’s enthusiasm for selling the material waned as journalists displayed reluctance to pay for access.
Delgatti’s involvement in cybercrime extended beyond the Operation Spoofing case. The sentence highlighted that he had obtained bank details from multiple victims and had sold the information in specialized crime chats. Despite the hefty verdict, Delgatti’s legal troubles continue as he was recently arrested by the Federal Police (PF) in connection with another hacking investigation involving the electronic systems of the National Council of Justice (CNJ).
Authorities are exploring whether this act was influenced by political motives, possibly tied to a federal congresswoman’s request, leading to a false arrest warrant against a Supreme Federal Court Justice.
